5 years later, life brighter for victims of Madoff

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Every July, nearly 100 teens go on a 13-day excursion to Israel with the Lappin Foundation of Salem. Although the foundation and its founder lost millions in the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme five years ago, it has since recovered, and never missed a year of sending kids to Israel. The group that made the trip last year is pictured in Jaffa, Israel.

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Bianca Kostinden, 17, a Swampscott High School student, had never traveled so far away without her parents.
But going on the Lappin Foundation’s Youth to Israel trip is a rite of passage in her community, she said.
“I’ve been studying about Israel for my entire life. As soon as I got there my perception just changed completely. I have never felt so safe. We stayed at a kibutz our first two nights – I would have felt completely fine leaving the front door open.’’
On the group’s travels across the country, she said, “You feel the history when you’re there, everywhere you go.’’

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Michelle Shnayder, 16, a Swampscott High School student, said she’ll never forget stepping off the plane in Israel for the first time last July, and hearing the words, “Welcome home,’’ from a greeter.
“I cannot convey the amount of emotion that came with landing there,’’ she said. “You’re standing in the footsteps of so many other people that were there. It was just the best feeling in the world.’’

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Anna Novicheva, 17, a student at the Salem Academy Charter School, said she was most moved by a visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
“We were at the Western Wall on Shabbat, and a few women started a circle, and they started singing together,’’ she said.
Within 10 or 20 minutes, a few hundred women had joined the circle. “Everybody was singing, and it was like you knew every single person, and if you didn’t know the words to the song, the person next to you would just help you. That was one of my favorite moments.’’